Cape Town - Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has denied claims of intimidation and bullying by a senior official, saying he only spoke out publicly because he was facing disciplinary action.
Free State official in the office of the public protector Sphelo Samuel has asked Speaker Thandi Modise to investigate Mkhwebane on a number of allegations.
Samuel has, among other things, alleged that Mkhwebane had introduced a climate of fear and intimidation in the office.
But spokesperson for the public protector, Oupa Segalwe, said on Sunday these allegations are baseless.
He said the public protector found it strange that someone who was facing disciplinary action was now asking for action to be taken against her.
Parliament is currently undertaking a process on the removal of the public protector.
Modise confirmed last week that political parties had submitted 22 names of people who would be considered to sit on a panel to determine if there was a prima facie evidence against Mkhwebane.
Segalwe said this was a matter that had nothing to do with the allegations sent to the speaker, but people who were facing disciplinary action.
Segalwe said these people were working with those seeking to remove Mkhwebane from office.
“At this stage advocate Mkhwebane has not ruled out the possibility that these staff members are working with external parties who have been pushing for her impeachment on the premise that ‘disclosures’ from within will carry more weight than the claims made by outsiders,” said Segalwe.